By Ed Valentine – Regional Editor

Read More: nfl rule changes, Brad Smith (WR – NYJ), Lawrence Tynes (K – NYG), Domenik Hixon (WR – NYG), Nick Folk (K – NYJ), New York Jets, New York Giants

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Mar 22, 2011 - The NFL voted today to change the rules for kickoffs, moving the kickoff from the 30-yard line to the 35-yard line. The league’s justification was that the change will reduce injuries on one of the game’s most dangerous, though exciting. plays.

This change is likely to impact the New York Jets and New York Giants differently. In terms of returns, the Jets have Brad Smith, one of the game’s most explosive return men. Among returners who had at least 40 attempts a season ago, Smith had the best average per return, 28.1 yards. He returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. The Giants were without return man Domenik Hixon last season due to a knee injury, and as a team they averaged only 19 yards per return, 31st in the league. Even with Hixon the Giants are generally only an average kickoff return team.

Thus, judging from 2010 results, you would think this change will hurt the Jets return game much more than the Giants. It will likely limit Smith’s opportunities to make big plays, something the offensively-challenged Jets counted on in 2010. The Giants got no big plays in their kick return, so the change should not make much difference.

In terms of kick coverage, neither the Jets nor Giants have one of the league’s strongest-legged kickers so it will be interesting to see how the new rule affects their coverage — and how they kick the ball off. In 2010 15 NFL kickers who were active for at least 12 games averaged a distance of more than 65 yards in 2010, a distance that would now put the ball in the end zone and likely result in a touchback. Nick Folk of the Jets (62.6 yards per kickoff) and Lawrence Tynes of the Giants (61.8) were not among them.

There is the quick update of the day.

The New York Giants announced Wednesday that they had signed backup running back D.J. Ware to a contract extension.

The team didn’t reveal terms, but the New York Daily News cited a source in reporting that the deal is for two years and worth approximately $2 million with incentives and bonuses tied to playing time.

Ware is a four-year pro who played in 14 games last season and had a team-high 20.6-yard average on 21 kickoff returns. Ware rushed for 73 yards on a career-high 30 attempts. He also had seven receptions for 67 yards.

The Star-Ledger reported Wednesday that wideout/return man Domenik Hixon has reached agreement on an undisclosed contract, citing Hixon’s Facebook page.

“God answers PRAYERS! My agent and I have been negotiating with the Giants and it looks like we have came to terms!” Hixon wrote, according to the newspaper. “Going to sign the papers in the a.m. (Thursday) and make this thing official!”

Hixon missed all of last season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the team’s first practice at New Meadowlands Stadium in June. The five-year pro was scheduled to be a restricted free agent under the guidelines of the current collective bargaining agreement, set to expire Thursday night.

Hixon’s fellow wideout Steve Smith, one of seven players to whom the Giants recently gave qualifying offers, told the New York Post he’s confident the Giants will reward him with a long-term contract despite his injury-filled 2010 season.

“I know it’s different now, I know it will be a little more difficult now depending on how I come back from this injury, how I look,” Smith said. “I think the Giants are going to reward me with a contract this year. They told me that.”

Smith, also a four-year pro, set a franchise record with 107 receptions during the 2009 season, when he also was selected to the Pro Bowl. Last season, he suffered a partially torn pectoral muscle, missed four games, returned for one, then tore cartilage in his left knee. He finished with 48 catches for 529 yards and three touchdowns in nine games.

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